Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Bow Obsessed


Hey everyone!

Lately I can’t get enough of bows. I’ve seen so many cute pairs of bow sandals on Pinterest, but everyone I look them up, they are always super duper expensive.

So you can imagine my utter surprise (and joy!) when I saw these little gems. Can you guess where? Let’s try Kmart. Yes! For only $20 too!
Let me know what kind of amazing deals you've come across this spring/almost summer!

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

My Summer Dorm Room


Hi guys!
Curious as to how I decorated my single dorm room for my six week summer school stay? Well, here's a quick look!
 
I used things that I already owned from over the course of the last three years, mixing some things in and out so I wouldn't get too bored with what I was using this past school year in my sorority house. The key was not to go too overboard, since it's only six weeks, but make it feel home-y and cozy enough so it's a refuge  from being in class for four hours everyday (summer classes don't play, guys).
 
As you can tell, I used my PB Teen dottie duvet cover with my basic red Walmart sheets. I think this combination looks really sharp against white walls. I added only two new things to this room: the Ikea throw pillow on my bed and a chevron frame from Hobby Lobby on my bookcase (which is yet to get an actual picture in it haha).
 
Because I wanted to make sure my ample supply of wall space wasn't too barren, I used ribbon and hung some of my favorite Instagram pictures from them with clothespins (an idea that is waaaaay harder than it looks, seriously I cheated and used tacs on the walls...shhhhh don't tell on me haha).

 
But it came together really nice! Plus this room was a gem to begin with! It has an adorable dormer window and a slanted ceiling, making me feel like I'm tucked into a little attic apartment. Plus it has a an accent wall and the walls are actually not white, but a kind of yellow, off-white.
So that's my room for summer school! I also have my own bathroom, a long hallway, and a closet too. Seriously, I'm so in love with this room.
 
 
 

Monday, June 10, 2013

More Bedding Contenders!


Hi everyone!  
So as you probably know from a couple of posts, I'm pretty torn when it comes to my bedding for my apartment next fall. I'm extremely indecisive and there are such cute bedding options out there.
Well, to add to my confusion, there are a couple more contenders....

Chevron

Poppies
 
I have always loved the combination of yellow and gray. They are super fresh and clean, not to mention always popular.
I love the fabric of these two.
I'm torn though because this option is more expensive, and I don't know much about this brand.
But I'm such a huge sucker for gray and yellow.
Feel free to weigh in your thoughts on my great bedding struggle.

Friday, June 7, 2013

High Five For Friday


Hi guys!

I hope you all had a great first week of June! Here are my top five highlights of the week!

1.      This week marked midterms for my summer school classes. Only three more weeks left! It also marks my first 100% on a math quiz in pretty much forever. Yay!!

2.    Wearing some new clothes. I’m obsessed with these tees from Urban Outfitters.
 

3.    Getting to see my boyfriend this week was amazing! Any time with him makes me so happy!


 

4.    Loving my Summertime S’mores candle still! I’m obsessed with it. It smells so sweet and like my all-time favorite dessert!
 

5.    Painting my nails my all-time favorite color, Essie’s Chinchilly. This color always makes me so happy!
 
 
I've had a pretty awesome week! How about you? What were your five highlights of the week!

Monday, June 3, 2013

Agendas: Lilly Pulitzer or Vera Bradley?


Hi guys!

I know it may seem a little early to be thinking about things such as agendas for next school year, but because Lilly Pulitzer recently started pre-orders on their agendas, and Vera Bradley came out with a trio a month or two ago, I think it would be fun to compare them, especially since I’ve used a Vera agenda twice and a Lilly agenda once.
Last year I struggled with this seemingly easy decision for months, trying to decide which adorable agenda to get for my junior year in college.
I absolutely loved my experiences with my Vera Bradley agendas the two years before it, always loving the cute prints, adorable little notes about how today is something like National S'more day (they have lots of those scattered throughout the month-long views. I received tons of compliments on them, and was super willing to pay the $18 (I just looked that up and I'm sure I paid along the lines of $25 for it, or am I just going crazy?). The cuteness level is sky high on these little gems.
Then last year I learned about Lilly Pulitzer (hey, I'm from Colorado, the nearest store is in Dallas as far as I know), and heard about the massive following of those agendas. So I decided to do something different and buy a Lilly one. I totally loved it, and still use it for my summer classes. Not only is it adorable, but I love how the months vary in different designs, that there are lines to write on for the day/week views, and that once again, the cuteness can't be measured. I received tons of compliments on it as well.
So if you are thoroughly confused now as to what agenda is better or what will make your college life easier and more colorful, don't worry. I don't think you could make a wrong decision. But from a person that has used both agendas, here are the positives and negatives to each agenda.
Lilly Pulitzer Large Agenda
New Green Coronado Crab
 
I Loved:
-The variation month to month in design. I liked how October had pumpkins, May had flowers, and February had hearts in last year's. Maybe this is weird, but it made me look forward to every new month.
-It's super girly and fun. This can't be denied with all the flowers, pink, and cute little designs.
-It comes in hard-cover, which I didn't have last year. I think this is good and bad. As far as a good thing, I think it's more durable and easier to write on.
-There are so many views of days, weeks, and months in this, it's ridiculous. There's at least three different ways to view things, whether you are a big-picture person, or a day to day person.
-The stickers that come with it hard adorable. And there are additional sticker sets (Ummm...like the really cute Greek Sticker kit) that you can purchase usually for $6.
-This is a huge thing, and probably my favorite thing about this agenda: it has lines on the day view. I hate when my writing is crooked. Plus it kept it organized and less messy looking.
-There are four different sizes available, so there's one for everyone!
Didn't Love So Much:
-It doesn't come in soft-cover this year. If you are like me, and overpack your backpack, hardcover can be obnoxiously heavy when mixed with a Bio book that weighs ten pounds.
-Since I live in Colorado, the shells, lobsters, crabs, and beaches seem a little weird.
-I feel like with the cover print I had to settle last year and would have to settle this year.
-More expensive.
-There's a lot of features in it I didn't use.
-Too much white space in the day/week views. That's me personally though.
Now let's move on to Vera Bradley's...
Vera Bradley Student Agenda in "Go Wild"
 
I Loved:
-Of course the prints. If you love a print, you get a lot of it. My current favorite is Go Wild, which looks so cute!
-The cute little pictures of what special random day it is. The illustrations are the cutest.
-How colorful the day/week views are. I loved it.
-Available in soft-cover
-Inexpensive (compared to Lilly)
-Smaller in terms of thickness. Both are the same in other measurements. But this is lighter
-Cute stickers that coordinate with the print.
-New agendas have slightly more variation.
-Comes with a bookmark to keep place.
-Month tabs on sides make it easier to see
Not So Lovely:
-Usually there's only three colors. This year because they came out early with a spring 2014 agenda, there might be six.
-Previously, there was hardly any variation between months. They would just take the primary print, and then it's secondary print (like the little print inside of the VB bag or wallet) and alternate. The spring ones now have slightly more variation. So if you buy a Go Wild agenda, you will also have a few months with Lilli Bell and Plum Crazy. I like having my December be kind of Christmasy and so on, so this was the biggest draw back for me.
-No option for hardcover.
-There's one size, which maybe too big for some and too small for others.

I'd like to add that the newest Vera agendas now do have lines to write on the for days, so that's a huge addition! It's super cute!
 
So I hope that kind of breaks down my thoughts on them. I think you can't go wrong either way, and both make fantastic agenda for college students. While Target has some super cute ones, and of course many Universities give away free ones, I think you can't beat a Lilly Pulitzer or a Vera Bradley!
As for me, you may be wondering which one I'm picking up for my final year of college. In that case, I'm definitely leaning toward the Lilly Pulitzer Large Agenda in True Navy Tiger Lilly:

 
Feel free to tell me which agenda you prefer and why? Any specific print you are loving?

Be sure to take a look at my full review of my large Lilly Pulitzer agenda for more details!
 
 

Saturday, June 1, 2013

May Favorites

 

Hi guys!

It’s that time again for my monthly favorites!  

 

Essie's Come Here

This is part of the new Resort collection (along with First Timer below) and this is pretty much my new nail polish obsession. This was actually the color that I wasn't going to get. I knew I wanted First Timer and In the Cab-ana, but this color was one I went back and forth on. I'm so glad I picked it up though, because it's the most gorgeous coral-red color I've ever worn! You know when you are wearing nail polish and you keep admiring your nails? Yeah, that was me with Come Here. 
Essie's First Timer
So I was on the search for the Resort Collection just because of this color. I'm currently in love with mints and turquoises and this looked absolutely perfect. However, nowhere had it! I went to 3 Ultas in three different cities (Denver, Fort Collins, and Colorado Springs), and they were sold out. Targets weren't carrying them (at the time, now of course they have them). But one day when I was across town, I spotted a Walgreens I don't normally go to and thought I'd take a look. They had it! I was so happy! And thankfully after all that searching, this color was perfect! I love it and think it's the perfect color for spring and summer time. 
S Factor Smoothing Shampoo & Conditioner
Guys, I have a new favorite shampoo and conditioner! I love this stuff so much! First of all, it smells amazing! Like strawberries or some sort of really sweet amazing fruit! It's literally the best smelling shampoo and conditioner I've ever smelled. Besides the amazing smell, it makes my hair super smooth and silky, which is awesome for summer and whenever I want to wear my hair straight. I'm so in love with this. Unfortunately it pretty much costs an arm and a leg, but at Ulta you can get this buy 2 get 1 free, so I also got the smoothing lusterizer too, which is also amazing when it comes to easing away freeze and making my hair extra smooth. I'm so in love with this!
Bath and Body Works Summertime S'mores Candle
I love the new summer candle line from Bath and Body Works (Watermelon lemonade and Strawberry Picnic are amazing!), but this candle is definitely my favorite! I love Marshmallow Fireside, a candle that usually appears in the fall, so it was nice to get my  hands on this to enjoy earlier in the summer. It smells so sweet and amazing!
MAC Studio Fix Powder
So I found my go to summer face product! I had been using the Mineralize Skinfinish Natural, but I wanted a little heavier coverage. Plus my skin has been majorly oily lately so I wanted to try this out. I love it! In combination with my Urban Decay De-Slick spray, this gives me fantastic coverage, stays all day long. Even without touchups! I love it! It hasn't broken me out either, which is awesome! I know people aren't always huge fans of powder foundation, but I think if you have oily skin, it's a summer must!
L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black 
As I reviewed previously, this is my current mascara favorite. I love how full, voluminous, and defined it makes my lashes. I also love how it builds effortlessly and quickly too. No clumps or goopiness either, which is even better. I can definitely see this becoming a go-to mascara in my collection for a long time. 
Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh Rollerball
It was like Christmas the other day. I was unpacking my perfume and when I went to remove my bottle of Daisy perfume, I found two rollerballs and a lotion! I knew that I got a big set for my birthday, but I had forgotten all that I got a rollerball in Daisy Eau So Fresh, a perfume that I have been lusting over lately! It was the best discovery ever! I love this scent a lot. It's lighter, fresher, and I think even more floral-y than the original Daisy and so perfect for spring and summer!
Bath and Body Works True Blue Spa Shea Cashmere Hand Cream
My hands have been ridiculously dry lately and it seems like I have tried every lotion out there and nothing changes. So I went to the old standby Shea Cashmere line that I love at Bath and Body Works. I love the scent of this line and seriously, it's the only lotion I can stand because it doesn't feel oily or heavy at all. I bought the little mini travel size, but I'll probably be running out to buy the full size body lotion soon.

Urban Decay De-Slick Makeup Setting Spray

I absolutely love this stuff! I recently wrote a first impressions post about De-Slick and raved about it. It has worked wonders for my oily skin and my makeup, as well as for my new favorite powder from MAC. I honestly didn't believe in makeup setting sprays before trying this, but I love it! I've even already repurchased one for when I run out!


MAC Mineralize Blush in Warm Soul

This is my first MAC blush and I'm very impressed. Not only is the color absolutely beautiful and perfect for summer, but it's also extremely long-lasting. I think it's the perfect summer blush color!

Simple Eye Makeup Remover Pads

I've been really loving these little pads to remove my eye makeup. They are great at removing every inch of mascara, eyeliner, and eyeshadow, without making my eyes burn or water. That's a huge thing, let me tell you! Seriously, you should try these!

Check out my May Lusts and my April Favorites too!